-Apron or big shirt
-Pen or pencil and paper or sketch book for notes
-Water and snacks
-Bag lunch or money for lunch
-Materials for collaging (some collage material will be available)examples: old or new photos, pressed flowers or leaves ,rice paper or specialty papers, old dress patterns, color copies, gold leaf, buttons, etc.
-Any tools for carving into the waxpencils, nails, ceramic or dental tools
-Metal objects to melt into the waxkitchen tools, old printing press letters.
-Oil sticks, paints or oil pastels which you are curious about combining with wax.
Most Important:
6 or 8 panels to work on. Remember to look for surfaces that are RIGID, ABSORBENT, HEAT RESITANT!
Good choices include:
--small pieces of plywood, scraps from a cabinet shop or carpenter3/8” thick (6x6 thru 12x12)5/8” thick (10x10 thru 16x16) thicker plywood can be used up to 24x24.
--American Easel makes a plain wood panel. Any of their panels from 7/8” deep to the thick 2” deep panels work great! Blick Art carries these also.
--Ampersand Encausicbord is a new product from Ampersand made in collaboration with R&F Handmade Paints. Made with the highest grades of engineered wood and an encaustic-specific gesso, this extremely stable encaustic support is the Cadillac of panels! Look for sales on Ampersand products from your favorite mail order catalog.
--You can prime wood with R&F Encaustic Gesso (acrylic gesso does not work!) if you would like to begin with a white ground.
--Suggested sizes are 8x10, 10x10, 12x12, 11x14.
Suggested Reading (All books available for purchase through website or at the workshop):
Encaustic Art: The Complete Guide ot Creating Fine Art with Wax by Lissa Rankin (this is the new book and features some of my techniques.)
Art and Fear: Observations on the perils and rewards of artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland (a great read when you are questioning your creativity)
Artist's Way- A spiritual path to higher creativity by Julia Cameron (always helps!)
Letters to a Young Poet by Ranier Maria Rilke (inspiriation for anyone, anytime)
MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
R & F Handmade Paints (encaustic paint and pigment sticks, wax, damar, encaustic medium and tools)
84 Ten Broeck Ave
Kingston, NY 12401
800-206-8088
www.rfpaints.com
Strahl and Pitsch Inc. (best source for 25kg/55lb boxes of yellow beeswax)
PO Box 1098
West Babylon, NY 11704
621-587-9000
info@strahlpitsch.com
www.spwax.com/
The last time I ordered a box of wax was $328.00 with $62.95 shipping, total $390.95
Douglas and Sturgess (good source for damar varnish, sculpture supplies, and waxes)
730 Bryant St
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-421-4456
www.artstuf.com
Ampersand Art Supply (Encaustibord panels)
1500 East 4th Street
Austin, TX 78702
800-822-1939
www.ampersandart.com
Blick Art Supplies (good source for panels, Encaustibord, frames, paints and encaustic supplies)
www.dickblick.com
American Easel (cradled panels at a reasonable price)
www.americaneasel.com
In Montana:
Arlee Apiary: 406-726-3331 - honey and yellow wax, nice natural wax.
Western Bee, Polson: 406-883-2918 - yellow beeswax, unfiltered (make sure to clean it a bit by melting and filtering).
Austin, TX 78702
800-822-1939
www.ampersandart.com
Blick Art Supplies (good source for panels, Encaustibord, frames, paints and encaustic supplies)
www.dickblick.com
American Easel (cradled panels at a reasonable price)
www.americaneasel.com
In Montana:
Arlee Apiary: 406-726-3331 - honey and yellow wax, nice natural wax.
Western Bee, Polson: 406-883-2918 - yellow beeswax, unfiltered (make sure to clean it a bit by melting and filtering).